Spain

Spain

Spain (Reino de España)

Sovereign state in the south-west of Europe, which occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula and the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands. The country is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe. According to one version, the name of the country comes from Phoenician expression "i-Spahn" meaning "shore of damans." Coutry is a Member of the European Union and the United Nations, joined NATO in 1982 (it is not part of the military organization).

Spain - is one of the world's major centers of tourism and recreation, with great and beautiful culture that has managed to merge a variety of traditions. An indelible mark on the entire face of the country has left her position at the crossroads of Europe and Africa, the Christian world and the Islamic world. Spain - an amazing country of fiery flamenco and fascinating bullfighting. Motherland of Gaudi and Dali, Lorca and Cervantes, which attracts millions of tourists with its ancient cities, rich cultural heritage and sunny beaches. Basic kinds of tourism in Spain - excursions, beach holidays, ski resort, recreation.

General information

The location, grounds and landscape

Borders with Portugal to the west of the Iberian Peninsula, France and Andorra to the north, the British possession of Gibraltar in the south of the Iberian Peninsula; Morocco in North Africa (enclaves Ceuta, Melilla and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera). Washed by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south and east. Spain also owns several groups of islands, the most significant of which are the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.

The country's territory is 504 782km².

Spain is located at an altitude of 650 m above sea level, occupying most of the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal in the neighborhood. This is the most mountainous country in Europe. In Spain rise above five major mountain ranges. More than half of the territory is vast elevated plateau. Spain has very diverse landscape: desert Andalusia, plains of Castile-La Mancha, the snow-capped Pyrenees, green wetlands of Galicia.

Population: more than 47 million 350 thousand people.

Capital: Madrid with population over 3 million people.

Biggest cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville.

Languages: Spanish, in the autonomous regions official along with Castilian (Spanish) are other languages ​​(Catalan in Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands, the Basque in the Basque Country and Navarra, Galician in Galicia).